'Not How Numbers Work': Critics School Trump After Baffling New Claim

Yahoo

5 days ago

President Donald Trump is getting heat on social media for making a claim on Tuesday about cutting drug prices that's essentially mathematically impossible.
Trump began promisingly enough with a complaint shared by Democrats and Republicans alike: the high cost of medication, and how much more Americans pay for some medications than patients in other countries.
He promised to reduce those costs ― but to a very unlikely degree.
'We're gonna get the drug prices down. Not 30% or 40%, which would be great. Not 50% or 60%. No, we're gonna get them down 1,000%, 600%, 500%, 1,500%,' Trump said at a Republican dinner. 'Numbers that are not even thought to be achievable.'
Critics quickly pointed out the reason those numbers are not thought to be achievable: reducing the price by 100% would make the drugs free. Reducing it by '1,000%, 600%, 500%, 1,500%,' as Trump said, would make the cost negative dollars ― with the drug company essentially paying people to take the medication.
Several users asked Grok, the AI chatbot on X, if Trump's numbers made sense. Grok called Trump's claim 'mathematically impossible,' 'hyperbolic and not literal' and 'total bullshit.'
But Trump insisted he could use 'a certain talent that I have' to convince pharmaceutical companies that they have no choice but to reduce their prices.
Trump also mentioned an executive order he signed in May to invoke 'most-favored nation' status in drug costs, which he says would ensure that drug companies can't charge Americans any more than what they charge patients in other nations.
However, the details of that plan remain hazy, and at least one pharmaceutical CEO said discussions with the White House are ongoing and expected to take time.
Trump on Tuesday insisted that his order will lead to those price cuts.
'We will have reduced drug prices by 1,000%, by 1,100, 1,200, 1,300, 1,400, 700, 600,' he said. 'Not 30 or 40 or 50%, but numbers the likes of which you've never even dreamed of before.'
Trump's critics offered some free math lessons:
As someone who graduated from first grade, this is not how numbers work. https://t.co/dx4lMcQTAb
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) July 23, 2025
Thank goodness this guy isn't negotiating the percentages we pay in tariffs. https://t.co/x7EppKShSq
— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) July 23, 2025
Quite a trick if he can do it. Are we going into negative numbers where big Pharma pays me to take their drugs?
— Dj Omega Mvp (@DjOmegaMVP) July 23, 2025
Hard to imagine this guy was found liable of fraud for making up numbers https://t.co/vgjVF1q2DI
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) July 23, 2025
The economics department at Wharton must be incredibly proud of this man's fundamental understanding of basic math. https://t.co/kuwIorU8TL
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) July 23, 2025
Cant wait fill my next zpack at cvs and leave with a stack of their money https://t.co/EgT12GMTul
— Ronnie (@Gem_Mint_Cards_) July 23, 2025
Getting paid to take drugs sounds awesome where do I sign up
— TCL (@TitleTalkTCL) July 23, 2025
Universal Prescription Income. Your move, Yang https://t.co/7QbV09x3Xe
— Roger Sollenberger (@SollenbergerRC) July 23, 2025
What kind of math is this? https://t.co/yu5kzUJEeO
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) July 23, 2025
And people wonder how this idiot bankrupted casinos. https://t.co/5xtlIrj0Gd
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) July 23, 2025
Negative drug prices are on the way ! 🤣🇺🇸 https://t.co/HLflM8fdZK
— Christopher Schultz (@nalyticsatwork) July 23, 2025
This is the fucking genius. https://t.co/JkEHJbqB01
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) July 23, 2025
https://t.co/4XedIgYgi8pic.twitter.com/OBOgCBZNii
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) July 23, 2025
@realDonaldTrump is out here pitching drug deals like it's Shark Tank for Cartels:'I'm offering insulin for negative $300 and a lifetime supply of bleach injections… but only if you call in the next 15 minutes.'This QVC for crackheads.
— Frank C (@FrankC164) July 23, 2025